Chico State President Steve Perez on Friday, March 8, signed Executive Memorandum 24-013 which renamed the School of Communication to the School of Media, Entertainment, Technology and Immersive Experiences.
The departments from within the current school of communication to be included within the METX will include journalism and public relations, media arts, design and technology.
The computer animation and game development program from the College of Engineering, Computer Science and Construction Management will also become part of the school.
The communication arts and sciences department will not be included in METX.
The Academic Reorganization Request describes the merger as a reflection of “ the new interdisciplinary approach to collaboration across the programs in order to better prepare students for the changing demands of industry in media and technology.”
The school of METX will retain a three-unit structure, with long-term planning for curriculum synergy to attract students to the dynamic and varying careers offered within the college of communication.
The faculty from the school of communication and College of ECC have been collaborating and discussing this potential move for many years.
The formal collaboration began in 2016 with the creation of the interdisciplinary METX course, in which faculty from the three programs team-teach students in the development of AR/VR storytelling projects using cutting-edge media technologies.
The Academic Reorganization Request states that the school aims “to focus on a collaborative approach to careers in media that is designed to build visibility, attract students and meet the needs of this industry as it grows and changes.”
The same report states the entertainment and creative industry in California contributes nearly 15% of the state gross domestic product. The game industry by itself has surpassed movies and music with and accounts for over 50% of the U.S. game industry.
“The vitality of this section of the economy is important to California and is influencing other sectors of the economy thus METX becomes a unique starting point for CSU, Chico,” the report said.
Faculty from the college have said the merger and department restructuring will not impact class availability for entitled faculty.
One driving factor in renaming the school is to improve visibility for recruitment and enrollment across the three units, in addition to streamlining courses.
“The prospect of Chico State students learning via an interdisciplinary experience to prepare them for working within the video game, entertainment and visual tech fields would be a huge win for them and the Journalism and Public Relations department,” Chico State alumni and senior director of communications at Ubisoft Entertainment, Michael Beadle, said.
Faculty from the current programs have argued that this will allow a synergy of courses and a reduction of departmental expenses.
College of ECC interim dean, Gregory Watkins, supported the merger, citing the “existing synergy between the three departments and the future collaborations and innovations that the reorganization will foster.”
The reorganization will be effective July 1.
Shane Aweeka can be reached at [email protected].
